Liverpool FC - Formations and tactics

[BigStu]

Captain: GERRARD
Short Free Kick: ADAM
Long Free Kick: ADAM
Free Kick 2: DOWNING
Left Corner: GERRARD
Right Corner: ADAM
Penalty Taker: GERRARD
Players To Go Up: SKRTEL, AGGER

[mcmattie]

Is that last post by lfc4eva (still) correct? I don't even see Gerrard in it.

[fishdalf]

We now play an entirely different system.

Borini SS on top left
Suarez SS as false forward through middle
Downing LMF on top right
Gerrard AMF half between CMF and Suarez SS
Lucas DMF left of middle two
Allen CMF right of middle two
Enrique attacking LB
Johnson attacking RB
Agger, Skrtel spaced apart CBs
Reina

[Shine691]

Yep, it's a 4-3-3 (4-1-2-3/4-1-2-2-1/4-3-2-1/1-2-2-1-2-2-1/1-2-3-2-1/1-4-3-3) etc

The question though is if our wide players will be best represented as LWF/RWF or SS. If we will pay with wide forwards and a CF, or WF's and SS, or three SS... It's probably a combination of all, it's a very fluent system with a lot of positional switching. The full-backs pushing on and providing the width, the CB drifting wide and Lucas sitting deep as the controller. GK-> CB's(almost at fullback-pos) and GK -> DMF in the center is key to resting on the ball. I find that playing the team with Wide Range support (15-19) and position switch on 11+ with high pressing and medium to high defensive line, and maybe a narrow width in def looks pretty good. Player support variable.

[Shine691]

Here's a tip to how you can try to replica the way Liverpool rest in possession.

Set up a 4-3-3 with a forward 3 of either a WF/CF solution or with SS/CF, three SS or LWF/RWF/SS. Push the enrique and johnson up to LMF/RMF positions and have the two CMF sitting a litte ahead of the midfield circle. Then have the two CB drifting wide to respectively LB and RB positions and drop your DMF deep as a SWeeper. (I assume both Lucas and Allen can pull this of, but you'd have to add SW to their positions.)

You now have something looking like a 1(GK)-3-2-2-3 formation depending on your forward 3. Assign this formation to one of the presets. I have the team playing a 4-3-3 by default, and have this formation on Preset Tactics 3. This allows me to trigger this whenever I feel like resting on the ball. You'll see Liverpool play this way to get into rhythm and control the tempo of the game. I haven't tested this system yet, but I assume pushing the SB's forward to SM will do the trick, leaving room for the wide CB's and allowing the new back 4 consisting of SB, SW and GK set the tempo of the game.

Cheers

[TheShocker]

------------------- Reina ----------------------

Kelly ------ Skrtel ------ Agger -----Johnson

----- Allen ------ Shelvey ----- Gerrard -----

Sterling --------- Suarez ------------- Borini

[Shine691]

Well, that's just wrong. Johnson do play LB on occasion when Enrique is out, but Shelvey is not a holding midfielder, Lucas, Allen and Sahin plays there. Borini is more of a SS/CF than a LWF, but the forward three is very much a free-floating unit.

[TheShocker]

You mean like this ?:-)

----------------------- Reina ----------------------
-----------------------------------------------------
Johnson-------Skrtel-------Agger-------Enrique
-----------------------------------------------------
---------------Allen-----------Gerrard------------
----------------------Shelvey----------------------
Sterling--------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------Borini------
----------------------Suarez-----------------------

GK: Reina
RB: Glen Johnson
RCB: Skrtel
LCB: Agger
LB: Jose Enrique
RCM: Joe Allen
LCM: Gerrard (C)
CM: Shelvey
RM/RWF: Sterling
SS: Borini
CF/SS: Luis Suarez

[Shine691]

That's an option, and as I mentioned before the formation is very fluent and with players switching positions and playing different roles throughout a game or from one to another. But the core set-up is pretty much like this:

---------------GK----------------
--------CB------------CB--------
RB/RWB---------------LB/LWB
--------------DMF---------------
---------CMF-----CMF----------
RWF/SS---------------LWF/SS
-------------CF/SS--------------

The front three is where it get's tricky 'cause they're changing positions as required and moving fluently throughout the game. The CBs have a tendency to split wide in possession with the DMF dropping deep forming a back four of wide (C)Backs, the holding midfielder (controller) and the GK, with the fullbacks moving up the pitch applying attacking support and pressure on the opposition.

The front 3 is kind of a RWF-CF-LWF / SS-CF-SS / SS-SS-SS / WF - CF - SS etc. But you know, the system is evolving and some things change between games and are depending on how well the players understand their role in the organism. I like it alot in theory, but it has to pulled off with the necessary amount of patience and composure as well as quality and determination and tactical awareness. The game is 90 minutes long and from a managers point of view it's like a game of chess.

[TheShocker]

I agree with you,from how I see Rodgers,he is trying to emulate the 4-3-3 from Barcelona(I heard that the teached his style from them) with Suarez playing a false nr 9 all around just like Messi do,the passes are getting good,they stay high,a very mobile formation as you say but the problems in their game are the wingers who never cover the striker position left empty by Suarez movements in the wings or coming deeper to help the midfielders,they don't have enough experience yet,Sterling is still a kid and Borini is young too and he is coming from the italian chess style sp he needs time But the biggest problem is that they are crying for it after the transfer period and that is coz they don't have a striker,a number 9,a scorer,they were sure they would get another one after Carroll's move to West Ham and now Rodgers faces a very hard situation,beeing forced to use youngsters and to implement his style from Swansea,the team who's style was the closest to Barca's sorry for bad english

[Shine691]

Good point. The lack of cover in the strikers position when Suarez drifts wide is right on. Suarez playing style has the potential of being close to genius with the right movement surrounding him. It's gonna be interesting to see how things pan out with so many key players out and with the lack of cover. Sterling is a wonderkid though

[fermastr-edit]

Regarding the last 10 games, i'd say that Liverpool is playing a 4-3-3 with sterling, suso, downing, henderson, and shelvey, rotating on the wings, with two side backs that constantly go forward, and a Suarez that goes to the elaboration zone and the wings to generate free spaces for teammates to arrive.

[mrayamgoreng_12]

Will someone change the tactics please?
Switch Suso with Downing, Suarez with Sterling and Skrtel with Carragher.
I would do it if I knew how.

[lfc 4 eva]

At the moment we're playing a 4-4-1-1/4-2-3-1 formation with Suarez just off Sturridge .
Player roles would look like this.
GK Reina
RB Johnson
CB Carragher
CB Agger
LB Enrique
DM Lucas
CM Gerrard
RM Downing
LM Coutinho
SS Suarez
CF Sturridge

[mrayamgoreng_12]

Sturridge would be better suited as a SS rather than a CF as he drops back quite often for the build up play.